Brampton residents will be among the communities covered by a new dedicated Peel reporter at The Local, which has appointed longtime city resident Prarthana Pathak to expand its reporting beyond Toronto.
The Local announced the appointment as its first permanent reporting presence in Peel after seven years of focusing on Toronto. The expansion includes coverage of Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon.
Pathak has lived in Brampton for more than 20 years. Her previous reporting includes work for Broadview Magazine, Maclean’s, The Globe and Mail, The Breach and the Investigative Journalism Bureau, according to the publication’s announcement.
Her assignment will include health, education, labour and immigration. In an interview published with the announcement, Pathak also identified housing, transit, growth and development as subjects she wants to explore through the experiences of local residents.
The publication linked its expansion to gaps in local news coverage. Citing the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ News Deprivation Index, it said Brampton and Mississauga ranked third and fourth, respectively, for news deprivation among Canada’s 45 largest cities.
The Local said the region needs more reporters based in its communities, including journalists producing longer, in-depth stories. It described the new position as a way to establish an ongoing presence rather than cover Peel only occasionally.
Pathak told The Local she wants to examine how government policies and systemic barriers affect daily life. She said Brampton and Mississauga have distinct circumstances and challenges that warrant sustained coverage by reporters with close ties to the communities.
In the interview, she emphasized depth, transparency and ethical reporting, and expressed concern about misconceptions in media coverage of Peel.
Pathak traced her interest in journalism to growing up in a family that regularly followed the news. She said that habit helped develop her interest in politics and social issues.
While studying at Queen’s University, she wrote for a student publication covering international social and political issues. An editor later encouraged her to report on a campaign event in Kingston during Justin Trudeau’s re-election campaign.
At that event, she interviewed people protesting over labour issues, as well as residents seeking attention for other local concerns. She described the experience as an early turning point in her decision to pursue journalism.
Her community connections also extend beyond reporting. Pathak said she has been a certified children’s yoga instructor for almost six years and teaches children and teenagers in Brampton and Oakville on weekends. She previously taught piano.